How do you serve?

Living a life of servitude - family first

A few months ago, while prepping for a client meeting, one of my colleagues suggested I NOT mention that I had recently been spending a huge amount of time on family responsibilities and obligations. It really floored me that she even suggested that. Serving my family is a gift that I am honored to receive. I will not wear a cloak to cover that reality.

Since November a large amount of my time has been spent assisting family members (and friends) in various ways - mainly health related issues. That's what comes with being a parent (and daughter). Serving our family doesn't stop because the "Open for business sign" is on. In fact, serving family never stops, in my book!

When we become parents we are automatically committed to a life of servitude: as our parents age, the role is reversed and we must serve them. It doesn't stop because our children reach a certain age or become financially independent. No doubt I will be helping my family in some way until the day I die.

My work - my life's purpose - is serving humanity in the best way possible, beginning at home and filtering out to the community, including the business community, my clients. When I am helping others, especially my family, for whatever reason, there is so much joy and contentment present. If I can make their load a little lighter and their day a little brighter, I am doing my work well.

As a client or potential client, colleague or friend, what you realize when you hear me speak of servitude is that I am devoted to and passionate about serving, which naturally filters to you.

How do you serve? I am proud to say my family comes first and BLISSED to be able to live up to the commitment to serve humanity in whatever capacity I can.

Be part of a Bliss Brigade

Many, many years ago I remember telling my dad to "Just throw your thoughts to the Universe and you'll get an answer!" For a long time he thought my notions of letting go were silly, ok, Crazy! Today, I tell my husband the same thing. No doubt sometimes, like my father did, he thinks I'm a little out there. I am...and it's ok....I'm very happy!

A few weeks ago I mentioned to a group of friends that I would like to start a monthly giving collection, choosing a new group or person each month that had specific needs we could work to fill. I was thinking that it would be great to be able to donate "extra stuff" or create a fundraiser for an organization or person that may have a strong need. Today, everybody needs something - some may need it more than others. Last week, the Universe answered in a big way. A small group of women, from all over the globe, have come together to create what I'm calling a Bliss Brigade, with many Brigadiers.

My favorite definitions of Brigade are:

1. a formation of fighting units, together with support arms (and shoulders to cry on) and services, smaller than a division and usually commanded by a brigadier
2. a group of people organized for a certain task: a rescue brigade
3. a line of persons formed to extinguish a fire by passing on buckets of water quickly from a distant source: a bucket brigade
4. any group of persons who cooperate to help cope with an emergency.

Ten years ago my family experienced a devastating house fire. Without the help of my "sisters", friends and family, my own personal rescue bridgade, I would not have gotten through it as easily as I did. They offered ears to listen, shoulders to cry on, help digging through the wreckage, food, clothing, a place to stay and much more. During the first 48 hours many people stepped up to assist, some of them strangers. It was more than I could have ever imagined possible. You know the saying, "words cannot express...".


Words cannot express the deep sense of gratitude I feel towards those people (and the Universe) for being there when we needed help most. I'm quite sure my father, who had passed on many years before, was one of those that answered my call to the Universe. No doubt, he somehow managed to wake me up in the middle of the night to rescue my family!

Today, one of our "sisters" child needs constant medical care and a very costly treatment. In less than 72 hours a group of incredible people has come together to help a family in need. Although many of us have never met this family in person, we have stepped up to help pay for that treatment, send love and prayers, and give support to this family in any way we can. How? We are doing this through financial donations and monetary gifts, clothing, food deliveries, cleaning services, and more. We are creating our own brigade, filling our sisters' bucket and putting out her fires by stepping up and lending a hand to her and her family, in whatever way we can.

This week I am offering you a chance to help without even leaving your home! To help this sister and her family I am donating 35% of The Sisstory Journal EBOOK to this Bliss Brigade, that's $1.75 for each EBOOK sold. The Sisstory Journal contains over 365 entertaining, engaging and sometimes enlightening questions about your sister relationships and YOU! Each copy comes with complimentary gifts from some pretty amazing sisters!

Click here now to immediately become part of this powerful mission and help in the smallest of ways. For less than $5.00 your Sisstory Journal EBook will be delivered to your in box, an incredible book of discovery, and you support a "sister" who's bucket is less than half full...That's what Sisstory is all about!

For more information about this project, feel free to email me at teri@theblissentwork.com.

Come on - be a part of our Bliss Brigade!

Obligatory Obligations...

Don't do anything that you don't really want to do. Keep yourself in a place of feeling good. Reach for the thought that feels better -- and watch what happens. --- Abraham

Week 3 of the Inner Mean Girl Cleanse

Here we are at week 3 of our Inner Mean Girl Cleanse and I am writing my "obligatory" blog on "obligation". There are over 20 different definitions of the word "obligation" at Dictionary.com. For this blog, I'll go with:

1. something by which a person is bound or obliged to do certain things, and which arises out of a
sense of duty or results from custom, law, etc.
2. something that is done or is to be done for such reasons: to fulfill one's obligations.
3. a favor, service, or benefit for which gratitude is due.

I am deeply grateful for this opportunity and really don't feel an obligation to write this blog. In fact, it's actually very therapeutic. I've written 3 of them so far, just on this topic. The first 2 are in my notebook, marked private, in the hopes that my family doesn't read it if they ever find it.

Between traveling and stay-cations the last few weeks, I've gotten behind on quite a few things. The reminder to do everything from a place of love could not have been sent at a more perfect time. Yes, the Universe does provide, as long as we stay awake and listen!

This week, I found myself doing many things I didn't really want to do and getting caught up in my own inner turmoil. When I was working, I thought the obligatory, "I should be cleaning, cooking or calling my mom". When I was cleaning, cooking, or chatting with my mom, I found myself thinking, "I should be working. I need to write that article or blog. I need to connect with so and so." And if I took a break from both, my first thought was, "I really should be working or doing laundry." The battle was being fought from every side.

I really thought I had a good handle on "living my bliss" and doing what felt right, on living from a place of love. I literally had to stop myself on several occasions for a reality check. We can only do so much and we really "should" love what we do and do what we love. I'm in to taking more bliss breaks!

Tomorrow the laundry is going to pile up and I'm heading off to Girlavant with my daughter - It's the perfect day for a massage and lunch, the loving thing to do for us all! Thanks, Christine and Amy for giving us permission to play and enjoy the hell out of it!

Bliss ON!

I am participating in the Inner Mean Girl 40-Day Cleanse as a Self-Love Ambassador. To thank me for my participation, I will receive a self-love gift from the founders of the Inner Mean Girl Reform School.

Gossip, Gossip, Gossip!

Week One of My Inner Mean Cleanse with
Christine Arylo and Amy Ahlers

Gossip - Enough is Enough!

So, I'm perfectly imperfect. Yes, that has been my mantra around the house for years. Every now and then I rationalize why it's "OK" to say just this one thing about "someone" or "something" and to jump in and comment when my girls are talking trash about someone. Why? Because I'm human.

In following the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh I have learned to step back and be aware of when I do fall into the "gossip" trap. However, because I do have that "Inner Mean Girl" who randomly wants to be heard, sometimes my awareness button doesn't turn on.

Does being aware that my awareness button didn't turn on count as part of the process to cleaning up that "Inner Mean Girl"?

One thing I've realized is that I am aware of when I am falling into that space and catch myself by using the tips suggested - changing the subject or finding something nice to say instead. Sometimes I even boldly state that "I am not commenting" or "I am practicing kindness and compassion". This week I added, "I'm getting rid of that 'Inner Mean Girl' and we are working on speaking with love." That really sparked a conversation, starting with "Who the heck is she?"

This week it was particularly challenging for me as I was with a friend who loves to gossip. At times I found myself rationalizing as to why it was OK to discuss this topic, even though I knew it was still gossip. In the end I literally had to walk away so I didn't get sucked further into the abyss.

The bottom line is that it's not OK to gossip. It's really just the ego's way of stepping in to control something that is of no value or use to us. Most of the time it's easy for me to say, "I don't even want to know or hear about it". Focusing on kindness and compassion is the key. Knowing that each and every one of us suffers in some way makes it easy to find something to love and cherish in others.

This week's challenge only reinforced my mission of sharing a little more bliss with the planet. Can't wait to see what's next!

P.S. I am participating in the Inner Mean Girl 40 Day Cleanse as a Self Love Ambassador. To thank me for my participation, I will receive a self-love gift from the founders of Inner Mean Girl Reform School.